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Constraints in antigen presentation severely restrict T cell recognition of the allogeneic fetus
Adrian Erlebacher, … , Dorothy Zhang, Laurie H. Glimcher
Adrian Erlebacher, … , Dorothy Zhang, Laurie H. Glimcher
Published May 1, 2007
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2007;117(5):1399-1411. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI28214.
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Research Article Immunology

Constraints in antigen presentation severely restrict T cell recognition of the allogeneic fetus

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Abstract

How the fetus escapes rejection by the maternal immune system remains one of the major unsolved questions in transplantation immunology. Using a system to visualize both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses during pregnancy in mice, we find that maternal T cells become aware of the fetal allograft exclusively through “indirect” antigen presentation, meaning that T cell engagement requires the uptake and processing of fetal/placental antigen by maternal APCs. This reliance on a relatively minor allorecognition pathway removes a major threat to fetal survival, since it avoids engaging the large number of T cells that typically drive acute transplant rejection through their ability to directly interact with foreign MHC molecules. Furthermore, CD8+ T cells that indirectly recognize fetal/placental antigen undergo clonal deletion without priming for cytotoxic effector function and cannot induce antigen-specific fetal demise even when artificially activated. Antigen presentation commenced only at mid-gestation, in association with the endovascular invasion of placental trophoblasts and the hematogenous release of placental debris. Our results suggest that limited pathways of antigen presentation, in conjunction with tandem mechanisms of immune evasion, contribute to the unique immunological status of the fetus. The pronounced degree of T cell ignorance of the fetus also has implications for the pathophysiology of immune-mediated early pregnancy loss.

Authors

Adrian Erlebacher, Daniela Vencato, Kelly A. Price, Dorothy Zhang, Laurie H. Glimcher

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Figure 7

Defective OT-I cell priming in pregnant mice bearing Act-mOVA concepti.

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Defective OT-I cell priming in pregnant mice bearing Act-mOVA concepti.
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(A) Impaired cell accumulation. The number of OT-I cells remaining after transfer into Act-mOVA–mated females was calculated as a percentage of total CD8+ T cells, then normalized to the number of cells remaining after equivalent time periods in B6-mated mice injected in parallel. Similarly, the number of OT-I cells remaining in virgin females treated with OVA or OVA plus anti-CD40 antibodies and poly(I:C) was normalized to the number remaining in untreated virgins. Each point represents mean ± SEM of n = 3–10 Act-mOVA–mated or n = 2–3 virgin mice. (B) Impaired modulation of CD62L and CD25 expression. OT-I cells were analyzed either 7 days after transfer into E10.5 Act-mOVA–mated or in virgin mice 3 days after treatment with OVA plus anti-CD40 antibodies and poly(I:C). Plots are representative of 3 independent experiments, each with individual mice or pools of n = 2–5 Act-mOVA–mated and n = 1–3 virgin mice per experiment. Plots display similar cell numbers in the 2 groups of mice, even though this does not represent their relative prevalence in vivo. The percentage of OT-I cells with altered marker expression is shown. (C and D) Impaired cytokine expression. Seven days after transfer into E10.5 pregnant mice, OT-I cells in the spleen (C) or uterine LNs (D) were stained for intracellular cytokines. Virgin females were similarly analyzed 7 days after indicated treatments given at the time of OT-I transfer. The percentage of OT-I cells with a CFSElocytokine+ phenotype is shown. Data are representative of 2 independent experiments, each with a pool of n = 4 Act-mOVA–mated mice. The other treatment groups show data representative of individual mice or pools encompassing a total of n = 2–6 mice per group.

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ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)

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